Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	christian_a	church_n	society_n	2,901	5	9.2764	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77507	The sacred and soveraigne church-remedie: or, The primitive and apostolicall way of composing ecclesiasticall differences, and establishing the churches of Christ. Wherein the authority and utility of lawfull councels and synods is asserted and vindicated, and divers of the sad controversies of the times modestly debated; first preached in the parish church of great Yarmouth, and now published for a preservative against the poyson of anti-synodall suggestions, and a preparative to the receiving of what mercy God shall please to convey unto his Church in this kingdome, through the hands of the present reverend Assembly of Divines. / By John Brinsley.	Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.	1645 (1645)	Wing B4725; Thomason E269_27; ESTC R212361	64,670	94

whole City had given heed to Simon Mag●s and were carried away with his sorceries and enchantments they gave heed to him from the least to the greatest Vers 10. So now they were generally brought to imbrace and professe the faith so much may be collected from the 12. Vers where it is said when they believed Philip viz. those which had been seduced by Simon even the whole city which is further confirmed from the 14 Vers where it is said that the Apostles at Hierusalem beard that Samaria had received the Word importing that the Word had a generall if not an universall entertainment in that City Now in this case which let it be observed a whole City was taken in and associated into a Church thus we reade of Samaria there When they believed they were baptized both men and women Vers 12. The generality of the people were all joyned to the Church However some of them were unworthy and afterwards upon discovery were ejected and cast out againe as you may see it in Simon Magus in the sequel of the Chapter And thus in like cases it may and ought to be when the generality of a people in such a town such a city do imbrace the Gospell professing faith and obedience to believe on Christ and to submit to his government In this case the whole multitude not only may but ought to be received into Church-society However some may be unworthy who upon the manifestation thereof may and ought to be cast out againe by the censures of the Church duly exercised But this case was not very ordinary with the Apostles Commonly the City and the Church were two distinct things the one far larger then the other the City an ample 〈◊〉 the Church a small handfull con●eined in it a peculiar society selected out of the multitude Paul writing to his Colossians willeth them to walke wisely towards th●se which were without Col. 4. And who were they Why generally all In●idells and unbelievers who though they were within the City yet were without the Church within the w●lls of the one but with out the pale of the other interested in the imm●niti●s and liberties of the one not so in the priviledges of the other having civill commerce with the members of the Church but no Church-communion Quest Why then are Cities and Churches put one for the other Answ. Take it in a word because the whole company of Christians of professours within such bounds and limits viz. within the City and the adjacent territories were wont to be framed into one Christian society or Church Observ. So many Cities so many Churches and no more so much this phrase imports and it will not be amisse my brethren for us to take speciall notice of it l●st in going about to multiply Churches to erect and set up Churches in Churches like Ezekiels wheeles one within another and those not uniforme in their motions as these were but in this rather like the wheeles of a clock which move divers and contrary waies we trespasse and transgresse not only against the phrase of Scripture but against the primitive and Apostolicall practice in●inuated unto us in that phrase Looke I beseech you through the whole new Testament and see where you find mention made of any more Churches in a Town or City then one true we reade frequently of the Churches of Judea the Churches of Asia Macedonia Galatia c. many Churches in one Kingdome in one Province but no where of the Churches of Philippi of Corinth of Samaria or yet of Jerusalem But still the Church Ques● Why but may there not then be more Congregations in a City then one Answ. Surely yes and I heartily wish that it were so in this place where the number of a people professing the Gospell is so increased as that they cannot assemble together in one place now it is not only lawfull and expedient but even necessary that they should be divided into severall Congregations Thus for my own part I cannot but think that it was in some of the Cities forenamed at least in Jerusalem where the number of believers as the story tells us was in a little time so exceedingly increased first to three thousand Act. 2. not long after to five thousand Act. 4 which five thousand however Calvin and some others looke upon it as the totall ●o●m●e the whole number of believers taking in the former three thousand yet many I think the most other Expositors conceive of it rather as a new addition five thousand added to the former three thousand thus amongst the Ancients Jero●e Augustine Chry ●o●tome Lycanus Beda amongst N●●●ericks Cornelius a Lapide Aretius which last Author giveth a double reason why he conceiveth it should be so to me both very probable For first in reckoning of the former three thousand the Evangelist did not take in the hundred and twenty the first fruits of the Church spoken of in the first Chapter but only set down the new addition which was made so here in setting down the five thousand he may seem to have no reference to either of the former numbers but to shew what a new increase and accession there was And secondly hereby not only the increase of the Church is set forth but also the increase of the efficacy of the Word which grew stronger and stronger fetching in first three thousand then five thousand which five thousand as it is further noted by some are there said to be men the number of the men was about five thousand {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} numerus vi●●r●● If so what then shall we conceive the number of the women not to speak of children who in devotion have been ordinarily observed not to come short but rather to go far beyond the other Sex To go on after this we yet reade of new additions Act. 5. it is said that Believers were the more added to the Lord multitudes both of men ●●men In so much that in a short time the number of them was grown very great so much that speech of James the Elders of Hierusalem unto Paul imports Act. 21. where speaking of the believing Jewes who joyned themselves to the Church of Jerusalem Thou seest brother say they how many thousand Jewes there are which believe c. The word in the originall is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and it properly signisieth how many ten thousands and so we finde it translated elsewhere Act. 19. Where the conjuring books which were burnt are estimated the totall is computed to be about fifty thousand pieces of silver Vers 19. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} five Myriads five times ten thousand so in the 14. Vers of the Epistle of Jude we reade of ten thousand of Saints {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Whether the word should be so strictly taken in this place of the

power what were it but to betray and forfeit our christian libertie It is the known plea which the Anabaptists take up against civill power and it is made use of by many against this Ecclesiasticall power For Answer Answ. Christian liberty and might not the Christians at Antioch and elsewhere have taken up the same plea had they apprehended any weight in it or reason for it when the Decrees here spoken of were tendered to them by Paul and Sylas to keep what betray their christian liberty by subjecting themselves to the ordinances of men But we hear no such words from them neither let there be any such thoughts amongst us for which I am sure there is no just ground Synodicall Ecclesiasticall power as well as civill is not incompatible with christian liberty they may both well stand together That will soon appeare if we do but rightly understand what christian liberty is mistake it not it is not a licence for christians to think and speak and pen and act what they list as some by their practice in these licentious times seem to conceive of it nor yet an exemption from the yoak of any lawfull authority whether civill or Ecclesiasticall nor yet a licence for every particular person or combinations of persons to set up the worship of God in what way and after what manner seemeth good unto them but a liberty purchased by Christ for christians whereby their consciences are set free here is the proper seat of this liberty not the outward but the inward man not the hand or tongue but the conscience which is hereby set free as from the rigour and curse of the morall law and from the obligation of the ceremoniall law so generally from all obligations and bonds save only such as God himself shall impose upon it this is christian liberty Now this liberty is no waies infringed either by any civill or Ecclesiasticall power in as much as neither of them claymeth any Jurisdiction or power over the conscience either to binde or absolve it As for the Decrees of Councells Synods to hold to them they do not properly and immediately as comming from them reach the conscience it is but a mistake to make the most charitable construction of it which is charged upon Assemblies of this nature that they command all mens judgements and consciences to bow down at the feet of their determinations What Protestant Councell or Synod ever yet claymed such a jurisdiction true it is the matter of their Decrees may reach the conscience being such things as are commanded or forbidden in the Word now conscience is bound to observe and obey but not by vertue of any humane Decree but of the divine Law which hath laid that obligation upon conscience As for other things which are in their own nature indifferent neither commanded nor prohibited in the Word but only made necessary for a time in respect of some present occasion these may be imposed but how what upon conscience as things necessary in themselves No Ecclesiasticall Decrees as I said before they do not change the nature of things but impose them and leave them as they finde them finding them to be necessary in themselves made so by the Word they now impose them as necessary finding them to be indifferent in themselves left so by the word they now impose them as indifferent only made necessary for the time In the meane time no waies touching the conscience further then as the Word bindeth it To instance in these Decrees which the Text pointeth at here are Decrees ordained for the Churches to keep obligatory Decrees but no waies binding conscience further then the Law of God bound it The Councell Decrees they should abstaine from fornication now this they were bound to before by an expresse and particular Law of God The Councell Decrees they should abstaine from eating things sacrificed to Idolls c. and these they were now bound to by a generall Law the Law of charity which required they should as much as might be avoid what was scandalous and offensive to the weak brethren and apply themselves to such waies and courses as might procure and maintaine the peace and unity of the Churches thus were they bound yet without any impeachment to their christian liberty for in the former of these their Christian liberty had no place it being a thing simply necessary to abstaine from fornication in the latter their Christian liberty was still preserved and maintained intire and whole in as much as these things were not imposed upon cons●ience as things necessary in themselves only the outward use and exercise of that liberty was for a time limited or restrained which morall necessity so requiring questionlesse without any wrong or injury may be done either by a mans self or others in authority civill or Ecclesiasticall Where by the way before I passe any further let me only give a touch upon an error then which I do not know any that these luxuriant times have put forth of more dangerous consequence viz. That things indifferent when commanded should become unlawful such rocks the shifting of the wind of late hath carried men upon not long since the tenet was Things indifferent when commanded become necessary now on the other hand Things indifferent when commanded become unlawfull extreames both like Scylla and Charybdis it is not easie to say whether of the two the more dangerous I have given a caveat touching the one already let me now do as much for the other That authority by commanding things indifferent should make them unlawfull how can this be if so sure the ground and reason of this unlawfullnesse must be either in the authority commanding or in the thing commanded or in the person obeying now for the former of these the authority being lawfull cannot leave such a taint upon things that by touching of them medling with them it should make them of lawfull unlawfull As for the second the things themselves they are not changed the nature of them is not altered if they were indifferent before they are indifferent still viz. in reference to conscience As for the third the persons obeying being pure all things are pure to them How then can it be that by passing thorow the hands of authority things should contract such a maligne quality that of indifferent they should become unlawfull for my own part I must professe that amongst all the monstrous and mishapen conceptions which these brooding teeming times have hatched and brought forth I do not know any more prodigious then this Certainly the Primitive times were never acquainted with such a Doctrine The Decrees pointed at in the Text they were mostly about things in their own nature indifferent yet the Councell imposeth them prohibiting the Churches for a time the use of things otherwise lawfull Now surely had they apprehended that their imposition would have changed the nature of things so as to make them of indifferent unlawful they